How To Win Over Someone Else's Cat

Cats aren’t dogs. And if you want to make friends with a new cat, you don’t treat it like a dog. You patiently figure out what works for this particular cat, and you don’t expect it to work every time. But the slow process of befriending a cat makes it deeply rewarding when you finally win one over.

Earlier this year, I talked to three experts on cat behaviour for the post “How to Get a Cat to Like You.” The post was so popular that we decided to try out the techniques on Cosmo, a cat owned by Lifehacker video producer Adam Powers.

In the video below, I butter up Cosmo not just with snacks and toys, but by giving him space and being patient. As you’ll see, even with a friendly cat like Cosmo, it’s not always easy. For one, he’s a chomper.

I’m jealous of dog people. You can meet a dog by just walking up to it on the street. A typical dog trusts you instantly. But the average cat must be won over. I talked to three cat behaviour experts, who explained why cats are like this, and walked through strategies for making friends with someone else’s cat, even in a single sitting.

Now Cosmo and I are friends forever—friends who sometimes ignore each other and sit on opposite ends of the couch, but also friends who nuzzle close and beg for shrimp snacks. And sometimes Cosmo begs for shrimps, too.

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